I agree that retail stores in strip malls near busy roads are a higher-risk situation, but this incident could have happened anywhere.
The location was Uvalde and Wallisville Road in northeast Houston, two busy roads and close to major highways. I don't spend much time around there, but it is not a "bad" neighborhood.
The criminal who killed this woman has been caught. He and accomplices committed at least one successful carjacking a day or two earlier and were driving a stolen car when they killed the woman. They are suspected in other crimes all over Houston.
My guess is that they just drove around looking for a vulnerable victim in an easy-escape situation. This poor woman was just the unluckiest person in east Texas that day.
Putting babies into vehicles or taking them out is a difficult situation to defend. You have to bend over into the vehicle and can't watch your surroundings as well as you should. You can't drop the kid in an emergency. The situation is the same for people who use wheelchairs or have other mobility impairments.
I think the number one defense is to travel with another armed adult when transporting babies or children. Obviously that is not possible at all times, but it's the best practice that I can think of. If your spouse can't be there, perhaps one of your parents, an in-law, or a friend.
Another is to park in places where you are visible to store employees or the public, and criminals cannot make a quick escape.
Most people can reduce the number of trips that they make to retail stores and banks. I buy a lot via the Internet (including my cell phone), get it delivered, pay lower prices in many cases, and save gas. I've been to the bank twice this year, and that's more than average for me.
- Jim
[Edited to correct typo]